which I have discoursed of them in thy midst, and am come to suffer even unto death in thy streets, in this day in which thou hast still time and opportunity to make use of them; but alas! in thy sin and blindness thou wilt not acknowledge them. Wherefore, "the days shall come upon thee, and thy enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and straiten thee on every side," so that, none being able to pass forth, all within thee shall perish, since none from without can come to succour thee. And all this was fulfilled when their city was surrounded by the Romans, and reduced to such straits that the unhappy Jews, in unheard-of sufferings and famine, were driven to feed on every kind of animal and filth, and at length on one another, and even mothers on their own offspring.

Our Lord continues His prophecy: "They shall beat thee flat to the ground," and shall destroy thy walls and thy houses, "and they shall not leave in thee a stone upon a stone, and thy children who are in thee" shall be consumed, some by famine, and some by the sword, and others sold for slaves; "because thou hast not known the time of thy visitation." I came indeed, sent by My Heavenly Father for thy good and for that of all men. I came to build thee up again and to save thee and all the world, to deliver thee from the death of sin and eternal punishment, and from every kind of evil, and to confer the life of grace and glory upon thee; yet so obstinate have been thy malice. and blindness that thou hast refused to acknowledge thy Saviour, Who hath come to visit thee in such Divine love and mercy. After this manner did Christ enter with the profoundest grief into the spiritual, temporal, and eternal evils of His enemies, and this His grief and compassion He exhibited openly to others by tears from His sacred eyes, thus teaching us by His own example, not to rejoice over the misfortunes of our enemies, but to sympathize with them, and desire their rescue out of them. And this the saints of God have ever faithfully performed.

Amongst other cases of persecution was that of St.

Catharine of Siena, whom a certain woman maligned with a false accusation of immodesty. Although this most pure Virgin felt deeply so terrible an injustice, yet when her accuser was struck down with a disease that rendered her body too loathsome for any to venture to approach her, the Saint not merely forbore from rejoicing at, but felt compassion for, her wretched state, went and attended upon her with the utmost care and devotedness, softened her heart by the tender and loving care with which she attended on all her wants, and at last by the fervour of her prayers to God for her soul, obtained her pardon and salvation. In the like manner, therefore, must we imitate Christ, as this great Saint did, and as all the holy servants of God have done, by feeling sympathy even with our enemies in their sufferings, fulfilling towards them the exhortation of the Apostle: "Rejoice with them that rejoice, weep with them that weep."* For if we rejoice with our neighbour in his prosperity, we add to his joy; and if we grieve along with him, we strengthen and are a help to him in bearing his sorrows.

Consolatrix Afflictorum.

In the sorrow of a nation,
Prayed a little faithful band,
As before their best and dearest
Saw they death's dark angel stand,
And our Lady heard them pleading
For the famine-stricken land.

Then the Holy Mass was ended,
And they took their homeward way;
In their suffering and sorrow

Rolled on heavily the day;

Till the evening star above them
Rose with tranquillizing ray.

Slowly o'er the earth and calmly
Fell the curtain of the night,

When a wayfarer belated

Saw the village church a-light.
Soon with anxious hearts the people
Thronged to give what aid they might.

What their wonder and amazement,
When, as nigh the place they drew,
Far from cruel flames destroying,
Sights of beauty met their view!
Saints from Heaven in light descending
To console their clients true.

Lo, an altar bright with tapers

'Gainst the chancel wall is seen;

On its highest step exalted,

Stands the Blessed Virgin Queen! And a flood of glory scatters

From her garments' dazzling sheen.

On her right, behold St. Joseph,
In his calm and gentle grace!
On her left, St. John the loving,
With compassion in his face;
While the songs of countless angels
Glorify the holy place.

See, her hands she downward stretches,
But the Mother's tender eyes,
In whose depths of loving sorrow
Such sweet light of pity lies,
Still as pleading for her people,
Are uplifted to the skies.

Full two hours the vision resteth,
But when half that time has flown,
Lo! the Holy Child appeareth,

Softly, without word or tone;
At His Mother's feet He standeth,
Whom Eternal God we own.

All the joy and peace and beauty
Of His co-eternal years,

In that Infant Face is speaking
As thus humbly He appears;
And those faithful souls before Him
Worship with adoring tears.

Long they prayed until it faded
From their gaze-that vision fair;
To their darkened homes they carried
Quickened faith and patience rare;
Calmer trust in God and Mary,
Strength the weary Cross to bear.

S. A. W.

The Zambesi Mission.

(Continued.)

THE Fathers and Brothers of the Zambesi expedition, as we saw in the last number, crossed the Vaal on the 28th of May (1879), and three days later arrived at Bloemhof, in the Transvaal, where they spent Whit Sunday and the day following. At one of the next stations, Father Depelchin received a visit from a French Protestant missionary, who had not been allowed to settle in Lo Bengula's country. He had imprudently neglected the precaution of asking the King's permission in the first instance to enter his territory. Such a lesson was sure not to be forgotten by his successors. They reached the Limpopo on the 7th of July, and arrived at Shoshong on the 23rd. No time was lost in calling upon the great Khame, but they had been warned by Mr. Baillie that they must not expect much from him. Khame, if not gracious, was at least civil; but the interview was embarrassing on both sides. Khame said, naturally enough, that he did not need any more teachers, and when he paid his return visit he repeated the same expression, adding that his mind was inade up. In the interval the natives had been coming in crowds to see the picture of the Crucifix and the banner of the Sacred Heart. Khame's brother showed more sympathy, and a report that he wished to have the Fathers in his part of the town made Father Depelchin wait a day or two longer before pushing forward to some other portion of the vast territory confided by the Holy See to his enterprizing zeal. It was soon clear that no settlement could be effected in Shoshong, but if Khame had teachers

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